Verse 2.4.170

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.4.170:

या महा-सिद्धिवत् तासु सर्व-सम्पद्-अधीश्वरी ।
मुमुक्षु-मुक्त-भक्तानाम् उपेक्ष्या सैव भूतिदा ॥ १७० ॥

yā mahā-siddhivat tāsu sarva-sampad-adhīśvarī |
mumukṣu-mukta-bhaktānām upekṣyā saiva bhūtidā || 170 ||

yā–who; mahā-siddhi-vat tāsu–amongst the possessors of great perfections; sarva-sampat–of all opulences; adhīśvarī–the queen; mumukṣu–by they who desire liberation; mukta–the liberated souls; bhaktānām–and the devotees; upekṣyā–neglected; sā–she; eva–indeed; bhūti-dā–the awarder of prosperity.

Among all those Lakṣmīs, there is one who is the controlling deity of all types of wealth and opulence. She possesses aṇimā and the other mystic perfections, and she can grant all prosperity. This particular goddess is shunned by the seekers of liberation, those who have achieved liberation, and the devotees.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

The scriptures describe the glories of Śrī Lakṣmī. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.38.8) states:

यद् अर्चितं ब्रह्म-भवादिभिः सुरैः
श्रिया च देव्या मुनिभिश् च-सात्वतैः

yad arcitaṃ brahma-bhavādibhiḥ suraiḥ
śriyā ca devyā munibhiś ca-sātvataiḥ

Brahmā, Śiva, and the other demigods, Lakṣmī-devī, and all the sages and devotees worship the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān.

These words of praise indicate that the worshipers of Bhagavān consider Śrī Lakṣmī to be more glorious than the liberated souls and other devotees. Why, then, do we hear about her inferiority?

To address this doubt, Śrī Nārada speaks the two verses beginning with yā. He says, “Among all those manifestations of Mahā-Lakṣmī, there is one who is the presiding deity of all material prosperity–she controls the wealth and opulence of even the guardians of all the planets, and she bestows aṇimā (the power to become infinitesimal) and the other great mystic perfections. It is this Lakṣmī who grants material opulences and it is she who is shunned by those who aspire for liberation (mumukṣus), those who are liberated (muktas), and those who serve the Lord in love (bhaktas). The reason is that, although she grants specific mystic powers (vibhūtis) and opulences (vaibhava) as a result of worshiping her, such opulences, which are used for acquiring sense objects and sense enjoyment, are an impediment for both mukti and bhakti.”